# Activity and background work

> See every subagent, workflow phase, background command and monitor live, queue your next message while the agent works, and get a push when it needs you.

Source: https://shuriken.sh/features/activity

Activity is the panel that shows what a chat is running right now: subagents, workflow phases, background commands and monitors, live. What you send meanwhile waits in the queue, where you can edit, reorder or remove it.

[Download](https://shuriken.sh/download)
[Pricing](https://shuriken.sh/pricing)

The problem

## A long turn is a spinner until it ends.

Coding agents start subagents, workflows, dev servers and test runs in the background. In a terminal you see the last line of one of them, and when you come back from a break you scroll to find out what happened.

How Shuriken handles it

## How it works

### See what's running.

A pill in the chat counts everything at work, from subagents to dev servers.

### Open Activity.

Subagents, workflow phases, background commands and monitors, each with its live output.

### Queue the next thing.

Type while the agent works. Your message waits its turn, repeats if you ask, or Steer puts it into the running turn right away.

### Catch up later.

Back from a break? A short digest tells you what happened, and a notification says which chat needs you.

## The details

### Workflows with phases

Each phase, and the agents working inside it.

### Background commands

Dev servers and test runs keep their output where you can find it.

### A queue with undo

Edit, reorder or remove a queued message. ⌘Z brings it back.

### A push when it needs you

Approvals and finished work: a notification on your computer, a push on your phone.

### Files the agent hands you

A card in the chat for each file: open it in a tab with its size and lines, download it, or show it in Finder or Explorer.

### Good to know

- A queued message runs when the turn ends, or after the turn's background work if you choose.
- Activity shows what each agent reports. The most detail comes from Claude Code.

## Questions

**What does Activity show?**

Subagents, workflow phases, background commands such as dev servers and test runs, and monitors, each with its live output. A pill in the chat counts everything at work.

**Does it work with every agent?**

It shows what each agent reports. The most detail comes from Claude Code.

**Can I type while the agent works?**

Yes. Your message joins the queue and runs when the turn ends, or after the turn's background work if you choose. Steer sends it into the running turn instead.

**How do I know when a chat needs me?**

A notification on your computer for approvals, questions and finished work, and a short digest of what happened while you were away.

## More features

[All features](https://shuriken.sh/features)

- [Parallel agents: Side by side, each on its own branch if you want](https://shuriken.sh/features/parallel-agents)
- [Phone: Your agents in your pocket](https://shuriken.sh/features/phone)

## Bring your agents. Keep your accounts.

Free forever, with 2 sources and 2 linked devices. No card.

[Download](https://shuriken.sh/download)